Nasty website bundles GIMP with Adware/Spyware

I have come across this rather nasty website: "gimp.us.com" which appears to offer GIMP bundled with a bunch of horrible adware when you use their installer. The website looks like it's official, and they even tell you about all the adware it will install, they also claim that GIMP is "advertiser supported" which is why they can offer it for free, but is this legal? Can something be done? Aren't they breaking the GNU licence? I fear, if not challenged, websites like this will ruin the reputation of GIMP. I have come across quite a few people who have used this site to install GIMP, thinking it is an official download, and then found their computer compromised.

Nasty website bundles GIMP with Adware/Spyware

bktheman34 writes:

I have come across this rather nasty website: "gimp.us.com" which appears to offer GIMP bundled with a bunch of horrible adware when you use their installer. The website looks like it's official, and they even tell you about all the adware it will install, they also claim that GIMP is "advertiser supported" which is why they can offer it for free, but is this legal? Can something be done? Aren't they breaking the GNU licence? I fear, if not challenged, websites like this will ruin the reputation of GIMP. I have come across quite a few people who have used this site to install GIMP, thinking it is an official download, and then found their computer compromised.

When I click their download link, I'm directed to sourceforge, ie. the
official download. Also, I tried turning off Adblock Plus and I still
see only one small advertisement at the very bottom of the page (where
do they claim that GIMP is ad supported?)

I don't think they are breaking the license in any way, although they
should of course note that http://www.gimp.org is the official home
page. They do however link to gimp.org some places.

(I'm not at all endorsing gimp.us.com, but I don't think they're doing
anything illegal, nor do I see signs of adware.)

Nasty website bundles GIMP with Adware/Spyware

When I click their download link, I'm directed to sourceforge, ie. the
official download. Also, I tried turning off Adblock Plus and I still
see only one small advertisement at the very bottom of the page (where
do they claim that GIMP is ad supported?)

I don't think they are breaking the license in any way, although they
should of course note that http://www.gimp.org is the official home
page. They do however link to gimp.org some places.

(I'm not at all endorsing gimp.us.com, but I don't think they're doing
anything illegal, nor do I see signs of adware.)

Nasty website bundles GIMP with Adware/Spyware

On 2011-08-19 14:39, bktheman34 wrote:

I have come across this rather nasty website: "gimp.us.com" which appears to offer GIMP bundled with a bunch of horrible adware when you use their installer. The website looks like it's official, and they even tell you about all the adware it will install, they also claim that GIMP is "advertiser supported" which is why they can offer it for free, but is this legal? Can something be done? Aren't they breaking the GNU licence? I fear, if not challenged, websites like this will ruin the reputation of GIMP. I have come across quite a few people who have used this site to install GIMP, thinking it is an official download, and then found their computer compromised.

Perhaps sites like this would be less attractive if the GIMP team would
provide an official binaries for Windows and Mac:

Nasty website bundles GIMP with Adware/Spyware

On 2011-08-19 14:39, bktheman34 wrote:
> I have come across this rather nasty website: "gimp.us.com" which
> appears to offer GIMP bundled with a bunch of horrible adware when
> you use their installer. The website looks like it's official, and
> they even tell you about all the adware it will install, they also
> claim that GIMP is "advertiser supported" which is why they can offer
> it for free, but is this legal? Can something be done?

Perhaps sites like this would be less attractive if the GIMP team would
provide an official binaries for Windows and Mac:

Nasty website bundles GIMP with Adware/Spyware

On Friday, August 19, 2011, bktheman34 wrote:

When I click their download link, I'm directed to sourceforge, ie. the
official download. Also, I tried turning off Adblock Plus and I still
see only one small advertisement at the very bottom of the page (where
do they claim that GIMP is ad supported?)

I don't think they are breaking the license in any way, although they
should of course note that http://www.gimp.org is the official home
page. They do however link to gimp.org some places.

(I'm not at all endorsing gimp.us.com, but I don't think they're doing
anything illegal, nor do I see signs of adware.)

I see no mention of the GPL or links to download the source code for GIMP on
that page (or on http://dl.gimp.us.com/) . If their installer is providing
the executable from their own repository then they are supposedly required
to do this. (Perhaps these links are available in the installer?)

I believe the FSF provides enforcement of GPL related complaints.

http://www.gimp.us.com/ is providing an installer which is the "service and
software" they take responsibility for. They do not claim authorship of
GIMP, but the way they choose to distribute it seems (to me) to fail to
comply w/ the GPL.

If anyone has tried this installer, and not had source code offered upon
request (for GIMP, not the installer) then I would suggest they contact the
FSF or GIMP developers.

Nasty website bundles GIMP with Adware/Spyware

On Fri, Aug 19, 2011 at 4:04 PM, dh wrote:

I see no mention of the GPL or links to download the source code for GIMP on
that page (or on http://dl.gimp.us.com/) . If their installer is providing
the executable from their own repository then they are supposedly required
to do this. (Perhaps these links are available in the installer?)

They are not providing a download. They are providing a link to an
existing download. The whole web site does not actually DO anything
except show misleading charts to users and offer up links to downloads
they don't own.

Further, they DO provide a link to the source code right there at the
bottom of every page, and they clearly acknowledge the fact that Gimp
is GPL'ed software. They don't pretend to have created it or have
anything to do with its development. Near as I can tell, this site's
sole purpose is to show up in search results and display ads to
people. There's nothing illegal about that.

Nasty website bundles GIMP with Adware/Spyware

bktheman34 writes:

When I click their download link, I'm directed to sourceforge, ie. the
official download. Also, I tried turning off Adblock Plus and I still
see only one small advertisement at the very bottom of the page (where
do they claim that GIMP is ad supported?)

I don't think they are breaking the license in any way, although they
should of course note that http://www.gimp.org is the official home
page. They do however link to gimp.org some places.

(I'm not at all endorsing gimp.us.com, but I don't think they're doing
anything illegal, nor do I see signs of adware.)

Yes, that does mention an ad-supported program. However, I still find no
way to install what they're advertising, only the official version. I've
downloaded the Windows version, it really is the official Windows
installer as packaged by Jernej Simončič. I guess they could be charged
with not providing the most up-to-date download (2.6.11, they're
providing 2.6.10), but the checksum of the two files are the same.

(Also, freefr.dl.sourceforge.net is still part of
*.sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/*, so no problem there.)

It does seem though, that perhaps at some point in time they did provide
an adware installer, and the disclaimer-page is a remnant from that?
(They do have GPL links now, at least.)

Or perhaps they just never got around to writing that adware version?
Best to keep an eye on them then =P

Nasty website bundles GIMP with Adware/Spyware

Yes, that does mention an ad-supported program. However, I still find no
way to install what they're advertising, only the official version. I've
downloaded the Windows version, it really is the official Windows
installer as packaged by Jernej Simončič. I guess they could be charged
with not providing the most up-to-date download (2.6.11, they're
providing 2.6.10), but the checksum of the two files are the same.

(Also, freefr.dl.sourceforge.net is still part of
*.sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-win/*, so no problem there.)

It does seem though, that perhaps at some point in time they did provide
an adware installer, and the disclaimer-page is a remnant from that?
(They do have GPL links now, at least.)

Or perhaps they just never got around to writing that adware version?
Best to keep an eye on them then =P

It sure does look like either they did offer the adware infected installer at some point in the past, but have since changed it back to the official download and simply forgot to remove this page. Probably it is best to still warn people to stay clear of this site.

As to some of the other comments here like "buyer beware" and people "get what they deserve". I'm sorry but I don't agree with that callous attitude. The internet can be a dangerous place, and lots of people who know little about computers can be easily duped into downloading something they didn't expect. Even though this site doesn't actually appear to be illegal anymore, I think it still is probably worth warning others to stay clear of it - hence my post.

And yes, I do care about what happens to other people.

I am not saying it should be made illegal for people to make mistakes, for goodness sake!